Tuesday, 18 August 2015

Waterloo mini muster the campaign summery

Well it's been six months of campaigning with many small and large actions. we've seen some Allied success against staggering odds, we've seen the French Juggernaut, that is the 'Army of the North' fighting many battles defeating the Prussians at Lambusart and finally at Ligny forcing them, but never once braking them, to retire from the field. The Allies on there part have mainly been trying to slow the French advance in there quarter on the campaign at Frasnes and Caillou with mixed success. The French have fought both the Allies and the Prussians to a virtual standstill.

the French on the march

an earlier battle

The final campaign dice have been rolled, the results are in and its not looking good for the Allies, to be honest the dice have not been kind to the Allies through out the campaign, but that's wargaming as they say.

It's the 18 June and the Allies under Wellington find themselves on the ridge, around the Waterloo area. The 1st Guards division, 2nd, 3rd , 5th and 6th British division's . 2nd and 3rd Netherland division's with most of the cavalry are present in varying states of damage, from battered, to all most no existent. ( its been a hard campaign )ADCs have been dispatched to out lying units to draw in what is left.
The 4th British infantry divisions are on rout from Hal, hoping to arrive in time.
The Prussian's are already fighting the French lust south of Wavre in the East. Wellington can hear the cannon from his command position at Waterloo. With little hope of the Prussian's coming to save the day Wellington is faced with a dilemma.

Dose he hold the strong defensive position of Waterloo and hope for the best, he has faced the French before many times and won, but never against Napoleon himself.

Dose he abandon Brussels to the French and retreat east and link up with the Prussian's or west and head for the coast and Britain.

The dice are rolled both players and umpire hold there breath, and fate slaps the allies clearly in the face again.

East it will be, with the sound of guns and thunder ringing in there ears, the Allies are on the move again.
The brigades of Sir Charles Colville's 4th infantrys division freshly arrived from Hal, are to hold the main roads to Wavre( strangely the very roads the Prussian's marched down in the historical battle ).

The French with Nay leading the advance towards Mont St Jean with the VI corps arrive during the night of the 18th, to find most of the allies withdrawn from the area he can see Allied troops to the east of the position around

not 6mm but 20mm French march through Plancenoit

He immediately sends word to Napoleon that Wellington is retreating, and orders the 19th and 20th brigades of VI corps to advance thought Plancenoit to engage the Allies around Smohain area.

Wellington and the Allies moved rapidly east wards and arrived ( in a strange quark of fate to help the Prussian's defeat the French in there hard 2 day battle. ( all be it the French were out numbered 3 to 1 when the Allies arrive)

Napoleon entered Brussels 2 days later bringing our Waterloo mini muster to an end.
The campaign threw up lots of what if's, and strange twists of fate. leaving the players and umpire scratching there heads. The Prussian's and Allies are know in support, and there is the question of 25'000 Prussian's under Klest. 210'000 Austrians under Schwarzenberg and 200'000 Russians under Barclay de Tolly that are on rout, all be it slowly. So can Napoleon do it again, Can the Allies and Prussian's go on the offencive and defeat the French. Will Napoleon fight on or will be negotiate for peace ( being in a stronger position than last time).
I leave it to the reader to decide.

the Austrians are coming again 20mm miniatures

I would like to thank all those involved in the campaign it has been a great experience bringing the Waterloo campaign to life ( strangely not actually fighting the battle itself which just shows how much real history is, and in the words of Wellington himself. Such a close run thing).

we could not resist one last battle so we are going to fight the action around Smohain between the allies under Colville and the French under Nay.
The battle report to follow in the last post of the Waterloo mini muster.